1. Cultural significance of dugongs and their seagrass habitats to local communities and its relevance to conservation in Malaysia
Dr. Leela Rajamani
Centre for Marine and Coastal studies
Universiti Sains Malaysia

2. Introduction Johor Study Site Cultural Dugong Survey (Johor)
South East Asia

3. Study Site- Sabah
South East Asia
Mantanani Island

4. Community Impressions
What the dugong means to the community?
Dugong is known as Duyung
Seagrass is known as Rumput Setu (Enhalus acoroides), Rumput Ketam (Halophila sp.)
the older males and females seem to know about the dugong from seeing it themselves or seeing it stranded on the shore
the younger people do not know much about the dugong and had not seen it.
Male focus group Pulau Sibu

5. Methodology
Focus group interviews were conducted with 6-8 people in the study sites.
Male group and female group on each island- Sibu and Tinggi
Oral histories were conducted with the oldest residents in the village.
Male focus group in Pulau Sibu
Female focus group in Pulau Tinggi

6. Dugong Myth from Sabah
Banggi and Mantanani islands, Sabah-origins of the dugong.
Tawi-Tawi Islands in southern Philippines in a place called ‘Tempat Keramat Puteri Duyung’ (Sacred place of the Mermaid Princess)

7. Similar Dugong Myth from Pulau Sibu, Tinggi and Sabah
Husband took her there and she loved to eat the fruit.
Enhalus acoroides
Rumput Setu
Pregnant woman in the village had cravings for the Enhalus fruit (Buah Setu) and wanted to eat it.
The tide started rising but she kept on eating Buah Setu and her husband decided to go back but she didn’t want to go. After that it became high tide and as a result she turned into a dugong and never came back.
Illustrations by Edwina Dominic

8. Two wives one was older and one was younger.
Another variation of the Pulau Sibu story is told by the oldest resident in Pulau Tinggi.
Two wives one was older and one was younger.
Older wife was pregnant and had cravings for Buah Setu and went to eat it.
The husband did not want to help her and she went on her own during low tide. As the tide rose, she kept eating the seagrass fruit and lost track of time. The young wife took this opportunity to push her into the sea. As a result of that she became a dugong and never came back.
Interview with Nenek Mariam oldest resident in Pulau Tinggi

9. Sacredness of the dugong and seagrass
Sacredness in Sabah –Sacred Place of the Mermaid Princess (Tempat Keramat Puteri Duyung).
Tawi-Tawi islands in Southern Philippines
exists in present day
No sacredness attached - Pulau Sibu and Tinggi
Regards the animal with respect.
Dugong ‘originated’ from humans.
Older member in Pulau Sibu –When dugongs are around it is easier to get fish and other catch and the environment is thriving with sea life
Sign of respect- does not disturb turtles
and dugongs when seen.
Samson Wong

10. Obtaining the Dugong
Pulau Sibu and Tinggi-incidentally caught in nets or already stranded on shore
Sabah – the dugong is caught in a
fishing net or even through
fish bombing.
2-3 fish bombs to kill the animal.
Brought back to shore and slaughtered
Dugong and focus group participant in the 1980’s
(Pulau Sibu)
Fishing bombing in Sabah

11. Use of Dugong parts Item Johor Sabah
Tusks
Keychains, lockets and rings(accessories).
RM 1000 per tusk (USD 250)
treatment of asthma, back pains and shock.
Shavings mixed with luke warm water and drunk.
Aphrodisiac
Amulets to ward off wild boars from their agricultural plots.
Chinese in Kudat, Sabah-Fashion dugong tusks into pipes for smoking.
Fumes emitted- therapeutic and medicinal value
Bones
Shavings placed in luke warm water and drunk.
painful skin,poisoning.
asthma, back pains and shock.
Dugong tusk shaped into a pendant

12. Use of Dugong parts Item Johor Sabah Fat Oil used for massaging
No use for fat except eating
Tears
Love potion-Kept in vial, dugong tears often used in a spell if someone wants to win the heart of someone they love.
mix a bit of their blood with the dugong tears and place it on the person without their knowledge
RM 5 per Bottle (USD1.25)
Love potion-‘Pawang’ (medicine man) catches the dugong with a net and collects the tears by soaking it up with cotton and stores it in vials
dugong is freed.
The ‘pawang’ then reads a spell with the love potion however it only works if the client is interested in a serious relationship.

13. Use of Dugong parts Meat
Item
Johor
Sabah
Meat
Is eaten in the 80’s and 90’s but only when a Dugong is stranded.
Opportunistically caught Dugongs are eaten. Rm20 per kilo (80’s and 90’s).
Skin
Used for walking sticks-considered sacred because when you hit someone with the stick, their bones will break.
Skin is eaten(paracetamol is used to soften the skin before eating)
Seagrass
Enhalus fruits eaten
Buah Setu
Unas
Nenek Mariam during oral history interview
Dugong bone

14. Dugong trade in Banggi Island,Sabah
Karakit
Dugong trade
route
Fishing route
To Mangsee Island
(The Philippines)
Balambangan
Island
Kudat
Molleangan Besar
Malawali Island
BANGGI ISLAND
Bankawan Island Sibogo
Kg. Maliyau
Animal is slaughtered and immediately sent to neighbouring islands in the Philippines. E.g Mangsee island and areas of Malaysia close to Philippines e.g Bangkawan island ‘Sibogo’ or Kudat.
Discreet and rare occurence
Caught incidentally in nets, fish bombing
Dugong tusks sold to Chinese traders-Price offered for four tusks was RM 100 (USD 25)
1980’s and 1990’s- dugong meat sold in Kudat fish market-Rm20 per kilo (USD 5 per kilo)

15. Local ecological knowledge
Not much known about dugong and seagrass life cycles, ecology, etc.
Size of animal- the different sizes of Dugongs
(adults, juveniles and calves)
Group size small(2-3 animals) or large(60 animals) groups.
Mother and calf - strong bond - calf will follow the mother even to get stranded
Eats seagrass found in coastal areas
Dugong is very important to the
seagrass- ‘as if the dugongs are
tending to the seagrass and making
it healthier’.
Threats: Trawl nets(pukat tunda)
Longline (pukat rawai)

16. Perceptions towards extinction
Male group (Sibu)- economic value- tourism
enjoy watching Dugong
Seagrass-know the importance of seagrass to fish
Male group(Tinggi)- no sense of loss (economically or ecologically) for the dugong and seagrass – because they claim to not fish in seagrass areas only reef areas
Ladies generally haven’t seen the dugong- so don’t feel any losses especially younger women. Ladies in Tinggi know more about dugong and seagrass than their male counterparts
Younger men and women also have little knowledge on seagrass and dugong
Oldest Resident in P.Sibu- Dugong will not disappear- “it is always there”
Not realistic that the dugong and seagrass would die out.
However if it really disappeared-very sorry and angry

17. Conclusions
Myths and symbolism- ‘dugong asal dari manusia’ (dugongs came from humans)
pregnant woman had cravings for the seagrass
Previously(80’s & 90’s): -Johor- Dugong harvested opportunistically when stranded or caught on a net
Sabah -nowadays dugong is not harvested- few sightings of dugongs has led to less harvesting.
Use of dugong parts
Sacredness-sacredness of the dugong has no meaning except perhaps in Sabah
Dugong LEK- not much information known-basic ecology, feeding habits, mother and calf bond.
Tusk/bones-medicinal/ornamental purposes
Meat eaten
Tears-love potion
Oil-used for massage

18. Conclusions
Implicating factors for the understanding of dugong knowledge and conservation, perceptions to extinction
Age
Amount of knowledge known of seagrasses and dugongs
Gender
Extent of observation during routine activities e.g. during fishing